Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-11-11

inscnSihlv told the most of his simple
story. after which Polly Flag. with
sparkling eyes. related her morning adj
venture and Tad's connection there
with; hearing which. Captain Jcihr"
gravelv shook hands with Tad across
the table. without speaking. Indeed.
he finished his dinner in like silence,
and. after pushing his chair back. sat
staring 40 hard ut the youth that Tad
began to feel very hot and uncomforta-
bic.
"My lad" suddenly said the Captain,
(Which way might you be cal'latin' to
steer? Is it bout ship. and put back
to Philadelphy, or" continued the
speaker, rising to fanciful heights, is
it dead before the wind to whatever
port promises the best frcights and big
gcst profits?' With dim comprchen-
sion of Captain Flagg's meaning. Tad,
conscious of slight choking in his
throat, replied sadly that he didn't
know-he' had no mother, no friends,
no home, and it didn't matter much
where he went or what became of him.
Polly's eyes shone sympathetically, and
the Captains voice was quite husky
when, little later, he replied to Tad's
Respondent answer.
at mayn't matter much to you,
Tad" he said, very tenderly and rev,
erently, "but it matters Considerable to
Him that's watchin' you from up aloft,
for if He hadn't some sort of sailin'
orders for you, He never'd a sot you
ndrift on this here sea of life. Now,
my lad," Captain Flagg continued,
impressively, "only for your overhaul.
in and runnin' down that privateerin'
chap under false colors, I'd have lost
the ships papers, and nigh forty dol
lars in clean cash, to say nothin' of the
good turn you did Polly here. this
mornin', which l amt like to forget.
And, summin' it all up" said the Cap
tain, patting blushing Tad on tn"
shoulder, ''I've made up my mind to
give you
mo, sir." interrupted Tad, with a
decisive shake of the head, 81 didn't
want any thing for what I've done"
ITO give you-a chance aboard the
MARY ito be-e-e-e a gallant
sail-yer bo-o-o-o-y.'" Trolling out the
concluding words, which were a re.
miniscence of some old sea-song, in q
deep voice, that might have come from
his cavernous boots, the Captain leaned
back in his chair. and beamed
benevolently upon Tad, who did not
seem quite as much overcome by the
magnitude of the offer as one might a,
first suppose.
I'm ever so much obliged, Capt'n
Flagg," faltered Tad. conscious that
Polly was waiting for his answer, with
a look of pleased expectancy in her
bright face, "but I'm afraid
THAT you'll be sea-sick? Oh, that's
nothing-you'll get right overit," broke
in Polly, with impetuous assurance.
And so well assured did both father and
daughter seem to feel that Tad would
jump at the proffered honor, that Tad's
half-uttered refusal died away on his
lips.
"All right, sir, I'll do my best" said
Tad, sturdily; and, slapping him jovial.
ly on the back, Captain Flagg de.
clared that nobody could do more than
that.
II began to the very sheerpolc my
SELF" explained the Captain, in the
fulness of his heart, "and. when was
your size, was riftn' logs to mill;
then 1 pulled bow-oar in a gund'low,
and after I'd gone two or three trips to
the Banks. I shipped as fo'mast hand
in a coastin' vessel. was a good
many years workin' myself from the
fo'c'sle to the quarterback" said Capt
ain Flagg, with solemn shake of his
head, "but I done it, and now I'm en-
mander and owner of q quarter of the
Mary j."
If good Captain Flagg had been
master Of two-thousand-ton Al full
rugged clipper, he could not have
spoken with more conscious pride than
in this simple narration, and after re.
garding him with admiring awe. as one
TO whom the wonders and mysteries Of
the sea were an open book, Tad glanced
curiously around the cabin.
1t was quaint little interior, with q
curtained berth ON either side, and q
state-room, rather larger than good
sized dry-goods box, at the back of the
steps leading down from the deck
which was occupied for the present by
Miss Polly Flagg, who was making hel
vacation voyage with her father, as 9
reward of merit for Improvement in hel
studies at the Bixport town school. The
main-mast, which ran up through the
cabin floor and roof about midway, had
nails driven::in it on which were
hung the Captains oil-clothes and Pol
ly's big sun-bonnet. A sort of folding
table, attached to the after-part of the
mast by hinge, could be turned W
out of the way when not in use. A
dingy-faced clock, like a big letter o
looked down from the wall, while op
posite was a highly-colored lithograpt
representing the once famous clippe,
"Dreadnought" blowing through verJ
green seas under a very blue sky
There was no carpet on the floor
which, however, was scrupulously
clean, while three chairs, in various
stages of dilapidation, composed the
entire stock of furniture; but to Tad il
was one Of the most delightful places
imaginable, and he longed for bedtime
to come, so that he could stow himself
away in the little berth which had been
assigned to him by Captain Flagg.
"All hans on deckT' gravely an.
nounced the Captain. as the city clocks
struck one.
Ephraim, who had been stretched al
length on one of the lockers, gathered
himself up, and, motioning Tad to fol-
low, climbed leisurely up the com.
panion-way.
"We're goin' to get under way this
afternoon" said Eph, "and there's q
tremendous lot of things to do;-let's
see-what'll we take holt of first?'
Eph looked listlessly about him, and
then, thrusting his hands in pockets,
leaned aUaiDst tho rail in a n,ad;tat;v.